cycling questions

captaincharisma24

Hi, I am thinking about investing in a Bike for workout purposes. I had several questions I was hoping someone could help answer.
I have barely rode a bike since I was a teen.

What type of bike styles do you recommend for comfort?
Is there proper technique for different surfaces?
How many miles should I start riding?
Will it make my legs bigger or just tone with endurance?
How to build leg strength for endurance?
Any kind of brakes you would recommend?

redhousecat

you should check out the cycling group and pose those questions there. They will be able to help you out!

but I will add what I know.
There is a series of bikes now called comfort bikes. That seems to fit what you are looking for.

no technique. Just different bikes/tires for different surfaces. A bike shop can help you there. Narrow tires for road, wider, knobby tires for trail

my legs just tone when I ride, but that is my body type. I don't know much in the muscle building dept

I build leg strength and endurance by riding. I also cross train by running. Others lift weights. It just depends on what you want

brakes come with the bike and are usually on the handle. Except I think if you get one of those bikes that brake when you rotate the pedals backwards. I am no familiar with those, though. Many moons ago, as a kid, my kid bike did that.

hope that helps

NuggetLovesEdie

My sweetie is a "bike guy" who started out mountain biking for fun, then got into racing road and cyclocross.

He's nuts. (and I love him).

I used to be a cyclist before I got a service dog.

>>What type of bike styles do you recommend for comfort?
I got a hybrid bike... it was build for cyclocross so it worked well on the road and if I wanted to ride it off road, I switched out the tires to have more grip.

If you want to sit more upright, a comfort or town cruiser bike may be more what you are looking for.

The essential thing is to get it properly sized to make sure you are comfortable and working efficiently. Any good bikeshop will do this for you for free.

>>Is there proper technique for different surfaces?
For all terrain, look where you want to go, not what you're trying to avoid hitting. There are some tricks to learning how to bomb that down hill (I have a recessive grace gene, so am not allowed). And also some things to be aware of like leaning when you take a fast corner on a road bike. You might ask if your local cycle shop has any intro to cycling classes or talks. If not, maybe they could connect you with someone who does a lot of riding in your area and can give you tips... like I wish I had thought about freezing fog and how that affects the slipperiness of the bike path. EEP.

>>How many miles should I start riding?
I think that depends on your endurance and what you are already used to doing. I used to ride my bike to and from work (10 miles each way) and it wasn't hard. My fit hubby currently rides 5 miles each way to work with lots of hills.

>>Will it make my legs bigger or just tone with endurance?
Its not like lifting weights. Most of the cyclists I've known have long, lean muscles unless their body naturally has more bulky muscles.

>>How to build leg strength for endurance?
The endurance is mostly cardiovascular, in my opinion. The legs will come with the miles.

>>Any kind of brakes you would recommend?
Unless you want to spend a lot of money and have extra weight on your bike, stay away from disc brakes.
I prefer cantilever brakes, or minimally quick release brakes so that it makes it easier to change a flat.

ETA: Oh... redhousecat thanks for reminding me...you're talking about coaster brakes. Yeah. Not those.